Systems and methods for suggesting context-relevant communication frequencies for an aircraft

Abstract

Systems and methods for suggesting, on an avionic display in an aircraft, a communication frequency that is relevant to a context of the aircraft. The method includes determining a location and orientation of the aircraft and referencing an intended flight path to determine, based thereon, the context of the aircraft. The method uses the context to reference an on-board source of a plurality of stored navigation communication frequencies. The method identifies one or more relevant navigation communication frequencies for the context and presents the relevant navigation communication frequencies in a predefined area on an avionic display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display system for suggesting a communication frequency that is relevant to a context of an aircraft, comprising:
 a source of an intended flight path;   a position determining system configured to determine a location and an orientation for the aircraft;   an on-board source of communication frequencies, having stored therein a plurality of navigation communication frequencies; and   a controller circuit operationally coupled to the source of the intended flight path, the position determining system, and the source of communication frequencies, the controller circuit configured to:   determine a context of the aircraft, as a function of the intended flight path and the location;   present, in a predefined area on an avionic display, a list of multiple relevant navigation communication frequencies that are relevant to the context; and   tune a communication circuit to a relevant navigation communication frequency of the multiple relevant navigation communication frequencies, responsive to pilot input, or activate a relevant navigation communication frequency of the multiple relevant navigation communication frequencies, responsive to pilot input.   
     
     
         2 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the source of the intended flight path is a flight management system (FMS), and the flight path includes a departure runway and a taxi path. 
     
     
         3 . The display system of  claim 2 , wherein the context is a phase of flight. 
     
     
         4 . The display system of  claim 3 , wherein the phase of flight is departure. 
     
     
         5 . The display system of  claim 4 , further comprising an external source of an external communication frequency, and wherein the controller circuit is further configured to present the relevant navigation communication frequency and the external communication frequency in the predefined area on the avionic display. 
     
     
         6 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the external communication frequency is a Tower frequency, and wherein the controller circuit is further configured to present the navigation communication frequency and the Tower frequency. 
     
     
         7 . The display system of  claim 5 , wherein the external communication frequency is an Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) frequency, and wherein the controller circuit is further programmed to present the navigation communication frequency and the ATIS frequency.
 The display system of  claim 5 , where the external n communication frequency is an user defined point of interests (FBO, for example, un published service location).   
     
     
         8 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the context is a first context and wherein the controller circuit is further configured:
 to determine a second context of the aircraft, as a function of the flight path, the current location, and the current orientation;   select a second communication frequency from among the plurality of navigation communication frequencies, as a function of the second context of the aircraft; and   present the first communication frequency in association with the first context and the second communication frequency in association with the second context.   
     
     
         9 . A method for suggesting, on an avionic display in an aircraft, a communication frequency that is relevant to a context of the aircraft, comprising:
 at a controller circuit operationally coupled to a source of an intended flight path and a position determining system,   determining a location and orientation of the aircraft;   referencing an intended flight path;   determining a context of the aircraft, as a function of the intended flight path, a location;   using the context to reference an on-board source of communication frequencies, having stored therein a plurality of navigation communication frequencies; and   presenting in a predefined area on an avionic display, a relevant navigation communication frequency.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising,
 tuning a communication circuit to the relevant navigation communication frequency, responsive to pilot input; and   activating the tuned relevant navigation communication frequency.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, activating the relevant navigation communication frequency of the multiple relevant frequencies, responsive to pilot input. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the relevant frequency is one of multiple relevant navigation communication frequencies for the context, and further comprising presenting, in the predefined area on an avionic display, a list of the multiple relevant navigation communication frequencies that are relevant to the context. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the source of the intended flight path is a flight management system (FMS), and the flight path includes a departure runway and a taxi path. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the context is a phase of flight. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the phase of flight is departure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an external source, an external communication frequency; and   presenting the relevant navigation communication frequency and the external communication frequency in the predefined area on an avionic display.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an external source, a Tower frequency; and   presenting the relevant navigation communication frequency and the Tower frequency in the predefined area on an avionic display.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an external source, a Tower frequency; and   presenting the relevant navigation communication frequency and the Tower frequency.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an external source, an Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) frequency; and   presenting the relevant navigation communication frequency and the ATIS frequency.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining a second context of the aircraft, as a function of the flight path, the current location, and the current orientation;   selecting a second navigation communication frequency, as a function of the second context of the aircraft; and   presenting the first navigation communication frequency in association with the first context and the second navigation frequency in association with the second context.